Never Alone
by ItsLukasBondevik
Summary: On a second Sasuke rescue attempt, Shikamaru takes his team with him once again, but this time directly into Oto to obtain the Uchiha. And, sometimes, in the life of a ninja, a sacrifice is needed. [NejiTen] [R&R Please][For Violet Marx]
1. Loved

**Title**: Never Alone

**Author**: Hitachiin Hikaru

**Fandom**: Naruto

**Rating**: "T" for language

**Genre**: Romance/Tragedy

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any part of Naruto, including characters, cities, towns, scenarios, titles, or anything else about it you can think of. I just want to express my creative intent with this fic.

**Summary**: On a second Sasuke-rescue attempt, Shikamaru takes his team with him once again, but this time directly into Oto to obtain the Uchiha. And, sometimes, in the life of a ninja, a sacrifice is needed. NejiTen R&R PleaseFor Violet Marx

**A/N**: This is dedicated wholly and totally to Violet Marx, for all her love. Thanks for being a fan, you totally rock!

Chapter 1: Loved

"So, why the sudden date, Neji?" Tenten questioned lightly to her teammate, who looked vaguely uncomfortable sitting in front of his ramen bowl. It was almost ten o'clock at night, about the time when Ichiraku's closed, though Ayame said something to her father about keeping it open a **little** bit longer. Something about true love and all that, though Tenten was kind of confused. She was wearing her long sleeved white shirt with the blue hems and blue pants, her hair a frizzy mess from training all day.

Though she was sloppy at the moment, the Hyuuga was practically perfect, like usual. His white robes had absolutely no spots on it, and his hair was set perfectly. He turned away from his untouched ramen, and watched his brunette friend's smiling face. He didn't look very happy, though Tenten could tell it went deeper than that. She's been around him much to long to **not** know that. After a moment of contemplated silence, the Jyuuken user told her, "I'm leaving for another mission soon."

She chuckled, and he cocked an eyebrow. "So? You have missions all the time Neji! Though I wouldn't mind going on a date before each one." She was trying to lighten the mood, and he appreciated her efforts, though this wasn't something he wanted to joke about. After she quieted down he sighed, poking dejectedly at his ramen with his chopsticks.

"Tenten, I…" he started, his lids partially closed as he let go of the chopsticks. There was a light clunk as the wood hit the ceramic of the bowl. "I'm going with Shikamaru, to try and get Sasuke back again." Her reaction was exactly as he had expected: the slight widening of the eyes, her face paling, but not freaking out. Tenten was known for being calm in stressful situations, and now was one of those times. No matter who was on the line.

She choked out, trying to keep her voice from sounding strained, "Do you have to go, Neji?" He instantly regretted telling her what the mission was, because he was now guilty of wiping the happy smile from her face. The Hyuuga let out a very soft sigh and raked a hand through his deep brown hair, trying to find something, anything that would make this okay. Easier for her to understand, and easier for him to say.

"Yes. He's gathering the team he had during the previous attempt a few years ago, because if we don't get him back now, Orochimaru will have his container, and we'll never see the real Sasuke again." The bun-wearing girl nodded, her hands cupping her elbows as she rested her arms on her knees. His eyes wandered to her saddened profile, ogling for a moment, and he turned away, not wanting to look anymore. Something like that would give him incentive to give up the mission, and stay, just to see her smile.

Tenten glanced up to him and nodded, a false smile on her face that didn't reach her eyes. "I see. That's your duty I suppose, isn't it Neji? Good luck, and make sure you get Sasuke back, okay?" She stood up and walked out of the interior of the shop, and he watched her go until he couldn't see her in his normal vision anymore. He paid for the two bowls of untouched ramen, and left the shop, heading in the opposite direction to the Hyuuga complex, going to get as much sleep as he could before the missions tomorrow.

…**:oOo:…**

Five Jounin stood before the gates of Konoha, getting ready to depart for their upcoming mission. A large group of people stood with them, ready to bid them goodbye when they were ready to leave. Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto, Neji, and Chouji were packed and ready to go, and were going to leave if not for one problem. "She'll be here," Neji assured Shikamaru, who was getting impatient with him.

"Neji, we have to get going soon, otherwise we'll be too late," he informed the Hyuuga, who was still searching the surrounding crowd for the girl. She'll be here, he thought desperately, glancing over the heads of the surrounding people to find her. I know she will. Shikamaru placed a hand on his arm, and motioned his head for them to leave. Ino squeezed the genius in a hug goodbye, and he sighed, mumbling something about troublesome women. Sighing, Neji turned to leave, but something stopped him in his tracks.

"Hey," a very familiar voice called to him. "Sorry I'm late, I slept in on accident." Neji turned around to see a brunette running towards him, a slight smile on her face, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Tenten slowed to a stop and grinned, placing her hands on her hips. Her hair was down, and she wore a pair of old pajamas that were baggy on her lithe form. "You're still going with Shikamaru's team, ne?" He nodded and she seemed rather sad, kicking at the dirt with the toe of her sandal, the smile sliding from her lips. "Well, promise me something will you?"

The pearl-eyed boy furrowed his brow. "What?"

"Swear to me… you'll get back here alive. Please?" She intertwined her fingers together and watched the ground, her eyes tracing the shoe patterns in the dirt that had been left behind by the other shinobi. He sighed and stepped up to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her small frame. A blush coated her cheeks and she gulped, slightly surprised.

He whispered to her, "As long as I know you're here waiting for me, I promise to come back."

She laughed, tears filling her chocolate eyes. "Whoever said it was me, Neji?" He chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to her cheek before letting her go.

"I'm good at reading people," was all he replied as he turned to follow Kiba and Chouji for the front gates. "Goodbye, Tenten." She didn't know why, but that goodbye seemed more realistic then one to someone he'd see again in a few months. As Shikamaru walked away from a choked up Ino, and Naruto waved to a teary Hinata, the bun wearing girl grabbed the future Hokage's arm. He looked surprised, but glanced to the kunoichi like he wasn't.

Tenten threatened lightly, "Naruto, if he doesn't come back in one piece, I'm holding you directly responsible you hear? You're the next Hokage after all." He laughed and patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry Tenten, we'll all be fine, and Sasuke-teme will be back too! 'Cuz I promised Sakura-chan I'd bring him home, and I will." He shot her a boyish grin and jabbed one fist into his hip and threw the other out into a peace sign. "I promise I'll bring Neji back to you, too!" Tenten smiled softly and thanked him, watching as the five of them started on their way to Otogakure. She stayed long after everyone else had gone, willing the tears that wanted to fall to stay put lest that Hyuuga and his 'one thousand leagues of sight' decided to look back on her. But, finally, a single one dripped down her nose into the grass and said man watched as she wiped the water from her cheeks and mouthed his name sadly.


	2. Lost

Chapter 2: Lost

For the next couple of weeks after he left, Tenten didn't know quite what to do with herself. Usually she trained with Neji, or hung out at the Hyuuga's with him, or something. She didn't realize until just now how much her schedule revolved around the white-eyed prodigy, and now that he was nowhere to be found, she really had nothing to do.

Ino, Sakura, and Hinata invited her out a few times to do stuff, shop; go see a movie, something. She usually agreed, but sometimes, she just wanted to be by herself. Most of the time she would go train, so she could show Neji how much she improved when he returned home. Lee found her one day, exhausted beyond all recognition from training for three days straight with little or no rest. After she was released from the hospital, and Shizune told her she could train for awhile, she decided to got to Hinata's to chat.

The blue haired Hyuuga Heiress sat on her bed, looking nervously at Tenten. She could tell that the brunette was stressed and worried, and she wanted to make her feel better some way. "Tenten, Neji-nisan will be fine," she assured the weapons-mistress, patting her shoulder gently. She had made her agree to a sleepover at the Hyuuga residence, and Tenten was currently dressed in a set of Hinata's silk pajamas.

"I know that," she answered miserably. "That's why I can't understand why I'm so worried about him. I don't have any reason to worry, but I do. Why is that?"

Hinata replied thoughtfully, "Well, I know how strong Naruto is, but I still fret about him."

Exasperated, Tenten told her, "That's different! You're in love with Naruto, Hinata! You two are engaged to be married!" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, glad she had gotten her point across. But that statement put a huge smile on Hinata's face, one that you would have to be blind to catch. Tenten got the implication, and rolled her eyes. "I'm not in love with Neji," she insisted, rolling into he sleeping bag and slumping against her pillow.

"Sure," Hinata replied cheerfully. Tenten did not approve of this new, Naruto influenced Hinata, not in the least. She was too outgoing and **nosy** now! And she was totally wrong, too. She most definitely… was **not** in love with that Hyuuga Neji!! She curled into a ball inside the sleeping bag, and closed her eyes.

"_Swear to me… you'll get back here alive. Please?" She intertwined her fingers together and watched the ground, her eyes tracing the shoe patterns in the dirt that had been left behind by the other shinobi. He sighed and stepped up to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her small frame. A blush coated her cheeks and she gulped, slightly surprised._

_He whispered to her, "As long as I know you're here waiting for me, I promise to come back."_

_She laughed, tears filling her chocolate eyes. "Whoever said it was me, Neji?" He chuckled softly and pressed a kiss to her cheek before letting her go._

"_I'm good at reading people," was all he replied as he turned to follow Kiba and Chouji for the front gates. "Goodbye, Tenten."_

Tenten woke with a start, watching the white ceiling for a moment before she realized that she had been dreaming of what had happened. She sat up and glanced at herself in the mirror in Hinata's room, noting her braid had almost completely come out in the night. The brunette always pulled her hair back into a braid when she slept, finding it a lot easier to lie down with. Crawling out of bed, she walked to her duffel bag to get clothes out of it and get dressed, but loud bangs at Hinata's window sidetracked her. Blinking she glanced out of the curtain and saw that Lee was desperately pounding on the glass. She looked at what she was wearing, and felt that she was suitable. Opening the window and cocking a brow she scolded in a whisper, "Lee! It's too early to be waking us up! What's wrong?" She noted with surprise it was still nighttime out, and wondered why he was there that late at night. Hinata awoke groggily, and joined her at the window

"Ah, Tenten, Hinata! My youthful friends you are awake!" he replied, hugging them tightly through the opening. "I have brilliant news! The group that had gone to retrieve Sasuke has just arrived!" That woke them both up, and the girls pushed past him in a fast sprint towards the main gate, with Lee close on their trails, Tenten not caring that her hair was a haystack on top of her head and she was wearing tight clothes for pajamas. As she arrived, a large group of people bustled around trying to get a look at the returning group. Pushing her way through the crowd she saw them standing there, beaten, bloody and bruised, but alive nonetheless. Naruto looked the best, but that could be a misnomer with his amazing healing abilities.

Kiba seemed the worst, and Akamaru was barely able to move as he crawled in with his master. She saw Ino hugging an injured Shikamaru, crying joyfully into his chest. Sasuke stood there, feeling out of place and watching the ground, a guilty expression covering his face when he saw Lee and Tenten. Hinata ran over to the blond, jumping into his embrace. She looked around, watching as Chouji was greeted by Ino with a hug, and furrowed her brow. "Naruto!" she called running over to him. He winced and glanced at her with a slightly uncomfortable expression. The weapons mistress glanced around one more time to make sure she hadn't missed him in her haste to find the genius and turned back to the blond. "Naruto, where's Neji?"

He clenched his fist tightly and sighed dejectedly. "I'm sorry, Tenten, I couldn't keep my promise," he whispered, and ran down the sidewalk away from everyone, tears dripping down his face. Hinata followed after him, trying to calm him down. Her heart stopped and she glanced back to the intellectual genius, doubt written all over her face.

"Shikamaru, please tell me… where's Neji?" she called frantically, grabbing his arm weakly. "Naruto won't tell me, but you know right?" The entire crowd turned to watch the distressed girl, as tears built up in her eyes. Ino watched her boyfriend's expression become strained, and instantly knew what happened. The dark haired man glanced to the ground and clenched his fist, squeezing his eyes shut.

He told her forlornly, his voice barely above a whisper, "He's dead Tenten." He had to support her after that, because she would have collapsed to the ground if he hadn't. She watched him with an incredulous expression, trying to find some reason for him to lie to her. "When we had gone up against Orochimaru to get Sasuke back, we had weakened him to the point we could get away with Uchiha. But, he still managed to follow us… So Neji decided…" He bit back an angry noise and began again, "Baka! Neji stayed behind and held off Orochimaru while we got away. He never… somehow he… it was… a fight to the death." Her tears fell down her skin as it finally struck her. _He's… dead…_

"**No!**" she screamed hysterically, grabbing Shikamaru by the vest and shaking him. "Why'd you let him do that?! **Why'd you let him go back alone?!!**" She turned her furious gaze to Sasuke, Kiba, and Chouji, clenching her fists tightly and pushing away from the jounin. "All of you were there! Why couldn't you help him?!" She ran up to Sasuke and shook her head angrily, then slapped him solidly across the face. He stumbled backwards, but made no move to defend himself as she stepped before him again. She yelled wrathfully, "This is all **your** fault! If you hadn't gone crawling to that… to that… **snake** bastard," the Uchiha winced slightly, "Neji wouldn't have gotten killed!!!" She could barely contain herself any longer, so she turned on heel, and ran as fast as she could from the spot. Tenten had to get out of there; she had to get away from everyone, everything, and anything at all. She had to be alone.

She found herself sprinting to the training area where she usually sparred with Neji. A place filled with now painful memories of him, of what he was to her. She sighed, slowing down and glanced up at the stars shining brightly in the heavens. What, exactly, had he been to her? Her best friend ever, someone she could trust and confide in, knowing that he would listen and give good advice. She had listened to his talks of fate and destiny, had watched him train harder than anyone she knew, and saw him grow up into one of the most dependable men she ever had the pleasure of becoming friends with. Tenten had seen him suffer and had helped him through it like it was her own self in torment, she had watched the pain of destiny sink into his veins, she had been there after he had almost been killed after the first Sasuke retrieval mission, and she was here now with his death on the second. She had gone with him to go rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki; she had been through almost everything with him.

_What _was_ he to me?_ _Do I already know?_ She shook her head and wiped the water from her face. For almost two hours she had been sitting on the ground, the damp grass soaking into her silk pajama pants. "Yes. I do know." She sighed as her eyes drooped closed from staying awake so long and she fell sideways onto the ground in sleep. _I loved him._


	3. Broken

Chapter 3: Broken

Two months later, after many attempts to find Neji had failed and he was proclaimed dead, a funeral ceremony was held for the Hyuuga. Tenten donned her normal clothes she wore on a day-to-day basis, and clutched shakily onto Lee's arm for support. She refused to believe that Neji was dead, she refused to wear black and mourn, and her friends took pity on her. She could hardly watch as his name was engraved onto the stone sundial, tears blurring her vision. It had rained that day, pouring down on Neji's family, Hinata, Hanabi, his uncle Hizashi, and the rest of the Hyuuga clan, his friends, everyone he had grown up with, like his teammates, his sensei, and all of the rest of the shinobi. Even people who didn't know him that well came, with her at the front.

Letting Lee's arm go, she stepped forward with a large bouquet of white lilies and watched the gravesite sadly. The eyes of the crowd seemed to be on her as she set them down in front of his picture, her eyes closed for a moment. She then rested her hand on the glass covering his photographed face, and she blinked slowly. "You lied to me Neji…" she whispered, holding back a sob, and turned away. She couldn't stand to see his face anymore. "I'm still waiting for you… Why aren't you here?"

Tenten stomped into the mud away from the site, splashing her legs and clothes with the filth. Someone called out to her, but the voice was lost in the thunder crashing around Konoha. She just ran, hunched over and speeding down the village's almost empty streets. All of the ninja were probably at the ceremony, and the civilians were inside and out of the rain. Finally, although she didn't mean to, she reached an empty meadow on the outskirts of Konohagakure. Suddenly, her foot sank deeply into the mud and she fell forward, hearing a loud snapping noise and then a squelching sound as she fell face first into the mud. Her hair ties flew from her head, causing her buns to uncurl and fall around her face. She didn't care; she just **didn't** **care**.

The distressed weapons mistress lay there, feeling the throbbing pain in her ankle and the disgusting sensation of the mud on her body and in her hair. She didn't have the strength to get up anymore, to move. The freezing rain pounded on her tired back, but she didn't care, and she'd probably get a cold from staying put here so long but again, she really didn't give a damn. Tenten sighed, and let the saltwater from her eyes mix with the rain from above.

…**:oOo:…**

A loud groan could be heard as an isolated figure traipsed through the trees of Konoha's forest, blood dripping from wounds all over his body. He breathed loudly, as if it was difficult for him to do so and each of his steps took all the strength he could muster. The dark haired man coughed, spewing more crimson liquid onto the green grass. He didn't know what kept him alive, he really didn't. In all respects he should be dead, due to several gaping holes in his body, cuts and slashes all over the surface of his skin and severe blood loss.

He couldn't tell what lay ahead, at the start of the light before him where the forest ended. Another step, another drip-drip of blood, another shallow breath. The grasp of a branch to pull himself along, avoiding roots and rocks, trying to break from the forest. He coughed again, and wiped the blood from his chin weakly. _I promised_, he vaguely remembered, stepping from the woods into a grassy clearing. He pressed a hand to his wound fruitlessly as more of his life's blood dripped between his fingers onto the ground. His long hair hung into his face as he fell to his knees, moaning in pain. A few moments later, he agonizingly forced himself to his feet and, after standing still for a few moments, continued on. _I promised… her… I'd come back. Because I know… she's still waiting for me._ He couldn't let her down; he had to see her face again, for the sake of the afterlife. No, for the sake of this life.

He stumbled down the slope, attempting to prevent the flow of blood from dripping out anymore. The man's normally sharp eyes were foggy, so he didn't notice a small protrusion from the muddy ground and tripped, tumbling onto his back. He let out a cry of pain and felt tears brimming into his eyes at it. It was almost too much to bear. He felt like he could just curl up and die right there, but one person kept him going: her beautiful face in his mind, her warm touch on his skin, and her soft voice in his ears. "N-Neji?!" He was hallucinating, he knew, feeling warm hands on his face, seeing soft chocolate eyes in his line of sight, and her voice calling his name. "Oh, God, Neji!!" Her voice wasn't as he remembered; it was pained and hoarse, as she had been crying for hours. The rain stopped falling on his face, as if something was blocking it, and he realized it wasn't an illusion. Tenten sat before him, cradling his body in her arms and whispering in his ear. "Don't die! Say anything, please!"

"T-ten…" he groaned, examining her face. She looked relieved at his one syllable response, and pressed her forehead to his scarred one, not caring that she was caked in mud. His hitai-ate had fallen off during his fight with Orochimaru, and he hadn't been able to retrieve it.

She whispered tearfully, "Come on, let's get you to a hospital." He grabbed her hand, preventing her from getting up and winced slightly. "Neji, come on, we have to go!" He pulled himself up and panted heavily, watching the brunette closely and smirked humorously at her filthy state.

The Hyuuga told her gently, "I knew… you were waiting… so here I am…"

"I **was** waiting, Neji, but now that you're here let's get you to Tsunade-sama," she begged, but he still wouldn't budge from the ground. He swiftly pulled her down into a tight embrace, and she felt warm liquid soaking through her clothes, sticking the white cloth to her skin. She trembled slightly in his embrace, staring at his red stained Hyuuga robes. His hair tie was missing, leaving the brown locks to flutter about his person gracefully, marred only by the vermilion blood from his wounds.

"Tenten…" he told her, his breathing becoming even now that he wasn't overexerting himself. "Thank you for everything… you have given me." He let out a soft chuckle and tightened his hold, not ever wanting to let go. "Sorry that I… never told you…"

"Please Neji!" Tenten cried, trying to get the stubborn Hyuuga to see reason. "We have to get you to a hospital! You'll die otherwise!"

He replied quietly, "I had to fulfill… my promise… And tell you… that I…" He groaned and his grip loosened from around her, causing her to grab him to keep the injured man from falling back. "I'm sorry." His alabaster eyes closed and he collapsed forward into her shoulder, and she held him tightly while choking back sobs. Her breathing came in sharp, shrill gasps, and her tears fell more rapidly now. She buried her face in his shoulder and screamed helplessly into the night.


End file.
